Seal for pressure regulators



July 16, 1929.l J. c. GROBLE 1.720.673

SEAL FOR PRESSURE REGULATORS Filed Feb. l, 1928 Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES JACOB C. GROBLE, F ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GBOBLEGAS REGULATOR COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

SEAL FOB PRESSURE BEGULATORS.

Application led February 1, 1928. Serial No. 251,018.

The present invention relates to a liquid seal construction, and moreparticularly to a liquid seal especially adapted for use inconnection-with pressure regulators. Y It is customary to employ aliquid seal in connection with the conventional pressure regulatoradapted to permit of the escape of fiuid or gas when the pressure ofthesame exceeds a predetermined point should the valve of the regulatorbecome stuck or fail to operate promptly. In other words,A it isstandard practice to employ a liquid seal in connection with thepressure `regulator and adapted to afford an exit to-fluid or gas ofexcessive pressure which might accumulate in the regulator housing dueto the valve failing to seat promptly and properly.

Now I have found that although the conventional liquid seal constructionoperates satisfactorilyunder vnormal conditions, still in the event thatthe regulator diaphragm should be suddenly subjected to an abnormallyhigh pressure it will result in the liquid of the seal bein@rdisplaced-with such rapidity and force that' quite frequently some ofthe liquid escapes throughv the vent for the gas of excessive ressureassociated therewith. Obviously ii) the column of liquid comprising theseal is lessened, it

means that it will respond to a. much less pressure than that which itwas set to nor-l mally operate and hence willr function to allow gas toescape from the regulator even though the gas is not of an excessivepressure. l

It is, therefore, the princi al object of the present invention toprovidev a liquid seal construction including means for reventing y theloss of any ofthe liquid coiiimn com- 40 prising the seal, so that itssensitivity to preure Will not be impaired.

v vAnother object of my invention resides in the provision of a liquidseal construction especially adapted for use in connection with thepressure regulator and including means adapted to augment the return ofthe liquid to 'column form' after each time `some of the liquid has beendisplaced by an excessive preure to relieve the pressure prevailing inthek regulator.

Still a further object of the inventionis the provision of a liquidsealconstruction including means 'for holding a column 0f I regulatordisclosed in liquid, and slanting baffle means for' causing the liquidto be returned to its column form after each displacement of the liquidby a gas, whereby said column of liquid will not be `displaced by gaspressures below a predetermined point.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear fromthefollowing detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing which illustrates a single embodiment thereof andin which:

-Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through apressure regulator including a embodying the features 'of 'the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is an end view taken on the line II-II of Figure-1 looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figure 3 is av fragmentary vertical sectional view of a modified liquidseal construction. j

In the drawings:

-liquid seal construction.

Like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the severalviews. The referenceV character 10 designates generally a gaspressure'regulator of substantially thesame vconstruction as that of themy'Patent N o. 1,588,- i111, issued Jarruary 15th, 1926, but differingfrom my patented refrulator in that it includes a liqluid seal safbetydevice designated general y lby the reference character 12 disposed incommunication with the pressure chamber of the regulator and adapted torelieve the diaphragm of gas pressures exceedin a predetermined value inthe event that t e valve 13 of the regulator fails to seat properly onthe associated valve seat 14.

The regulator 10 includes a main housin member 15 defining the gaschamber 16 and an auxiliary housing or cap member 17 adapted to secures.diaphragm 18 to the wall of member 15. The cap member 17 defines van airchamber 19 above the diaphragm 18, which chamber is di in communicationwith the upper end of a diagonal air passageway V20, the lower end ofwhich terminates in communication with a vertical opening 2 1 formed inthe housing member, 15. The cap member 17 includes a tubular boss 22into which threaded an adjustable screw 23, the lower end of which abutsat -the upper end of a conical spring 24 whichhas its other end restingon pressure plate25 connected to diaphragm 18.

Secured to the under side of the diaphragm18 is'a plate 26 including anaperturedcentral projection 27 cooperable with an end of lever 28pivotally mounted upon a in 29 connected to the housing 15. The otherend of lever 28 carries valve member 13 which includes akvalve leatherinsert 3() adapted yto cooperate with the upper end of the tubularvalve'seat 14 which is threaded into opening 31 in the housing member15. Access to the valve member 13 for purposes of adjustment may be hadby removing the end plate 34 secured to the housing member 15. v

The opening 31 is disposed in communication with the inlet 32 of theregulator. Positioned directly above the inlet 32 and directly over thevalve member 13 is the pressure regulator outlet 33. The operation ofthis regulator 'of my construction is thought to bey obvious. y

It will, of course, be apparent that the diaphragm 18 causes valve 13 tobecomeunseated when the gas pressure prevailing in chamber 16 fallsbelow a predetermined point. This means that the valve member will besuccessively seated and unseated so as to maintain a substantiallyconstant gas pressure in the chamber 16. As previously pointed out,quite frequently foreign matter gets between the leather insert 30 ofvalve member 13 and the valve seat 14, thus preventing the valve memberfrom properly seating on the valve seat and thereby allow-y ing-anexcessive gas pressure to accumulatev in chamber'16. In order to relievethe diahragm 18 of this excessive pressure, I provide the liquid sealconstruction 12 which I shall now proceed to describe in detail.

The-housing member 15 also serves to detine 'achamber 35 which isseparated from the pressure chamber 16 by means of a partitionwall 36.The wall 36 has threaded into it the upper end of a mercury seal tube38, the lower end of which extends into a mercury cup 40 threaded intothe wall of housing member 15. It will be noted that the bottom of thecup 40 is spaced a slight distance from the lower end of the tube 38 andthat the bottom of the cup 4() is provided with .a protuberance 41disposed in axial alignment with the tube 38. Thisprotuberance 41 isdisposed in the space between the end of the tube and the bottom of thecup and is so arranged that mercury will be' allowed to freely enter thetube 38. Disposed in the cup 4() is a body of mercury designatedgenerally by the reference character 42.

Secured to the outer surface of the tube 38 and positioned above thecup'40 in chamber 35 is an annular conical baille member 45 adapted toaugment the return of the mercury 42 to the cup member 40 cach time itis displaced by the escape of gas from the chamber 16 due to anexcessive pressure.

Formed integral with wall 36 is a downwardly extending slanting flangeor baille element 46, the lower end of which terminates adjacent avbaffle element 47 disposed at a slight angle to the horizontal. Thesetwo baille elements 46 and 47 are adapted to cooperate to preventmercury blown from the cup 4() by an excessive gas pressure fromreaching the vent pipe designated by the reference character 48. Thelower end of this pipe 48 is threaded into an opening 4f) in the housingmember 15 disposed inl communication with the chamber 35 above thebaille elements 46 and 47. Threaded into the lower end of pipe 48 is atubular bathe element 50 having its lower end provided with a conicalhead 51 connected to the element 5() by spacedlegs 52. This conicalelement 51 serves to prevent liquid blown into the vent pipe 48 from thecup 40 by an ex cessive gas pressure from escaping into the atmospherethrough the vent pipe 48 but at the same time allows atmospheric air toenter the chamber 35. This air, as will be evident from the drawing,serves to returnV the liquid to the cup 40 and also serves to act upondiaphragm 18 through the opening 21 and the passageway 2O previouslydescribed. Itk will be, of course, evident that opening 21" is disposedin communication with chamber 35.

The operation` vof the liquid seal construction of my ,invention isbriefly as follows:

The column of mercury 442 in cup 40 isof such a height that it will notbe displaced by the normal or predetermined gas pressure prevailing inchamber 16. However, in the event that an excessive gas pressure shouldaccumulate in the chamber 16, gas will enter the tube 38 and willdisplace some of the column of liquid by blowing it u wardly intochamber 35. In other words, some of the gas of excessive pressure willescape through the mercury into chamber 35 and out into the atmospherethrough the vent `pipe 48, thus relieving the diaphragm 18 of excessivepressure. The mercury is prevented from being carried out by the gas bythe baille elements 46 and 47 which are so inclined as to augment thegravitation of the mercury back into the cup 40 so as to restore theVcolumn of liquid in a'minimum of time. The annular baille 45 also servesto resist the upward rush of the mercury when the gas of excessivepressure is escaping therethrough. In the event that some Inercuryshould get-by the baille elements 46 and 47, it will come into contactwith the surface Y defines a chamber 62 nected in any of the conicalbaille element 51 which will prevent it from entering thevent pipe 48.Obviously the moving particles of mercury upon striking the conicalbaille element 5l will lose their force and gravitate onto the slantingbaille elements 46 and 47 which will conduct this mercury downwardly soas to allow it to gravitate back into the cup 40. I t will thus beevident that the annular baffie 475, the baille elements 46 and 47 andthe conical baffle 5l all serve to prevent any of the particles ofmercury from escaping into the atmosphere after each displacement ofmercury by a gas of excessive pressure. This means that a column ofmercury of substantially constant height will be maintained in cup andthereby insures that the mercury seal will not be 7displaced by a gaspressure below the predetermined pressureto which ythe reulator isadjusted to accommodate.

In igure 3 I have illustrated a liquid seal device embodying thefeatures of my invention which is adapted to be connected to the housingof the conventional pressure regulator now in use without any radicalchanges 1n the construction of such regu- The device lincludes a housing60 having threaded in'its lower end a cup-like member 61 adapted to holda column of mercury or other suitable liquidv 73. Formed integral withthe housing 60 and disposed in the interior thereof is a. wall 68 whichhaving threaded there- This pipe 63 may be consuitable manner to the gaspressure chamber of a pressure regulator.

in a pipe 63.

.. Also it is, of course, evident that the pipe 63 may be connected toany gas line in which it is desired to maintain a predetermined gaspressure. Threaded into the wall 68 is a downwardly extending tube 64,the lower end of which terminates adjacent to but spaced from the bottomof the mercury cup 61. Positioned in the space separating the lower endof tube 64 and mercury cup 61 is a protuberance 65 located in axialalignment with the axis ofthe tube. This protuberance 65 is so arrangedas to allow liquid to freely enter and leave tube 64.

Secured to the upper end of tube 64 and ositioned in the chamber 66defined by .ousing 60 is a slanting annular bafile ring 67 adapted toresist upward movement of the mercury from the cup when the same isblown upwardly by a gas of excessive pressure entering the tube 64 fromchamber 62. It will be evident that the chamber 66 is positioned aroundthe wall 66 and has no direct communication with chamber 62 exceptthrough tube 64.

The upper end of the housing 60 has threaded into it a vent pipe 69 inthe lower end of which is threaded a tubular baille element 70 providedat its lower end with a conical bafile 7l. This conical baflle 71 isconnected to the tube 70 by mea-ns of spaced legs 72, whereby gas canfreely escape from chamber 66 into vent pipe 69.

Formed integral with the wall of housing 60 and extending into chamber66 is an annular or ring-like downwardly slanting flange whichconstitutes a downwardly slantingbafile disposed at a slight angle tothe horizontal and adapted to resist upward movement of particles ofmercury.

Now it will be evident that any particles of mercury forced into theupper part of the chamber 66 will lose their force upon striking thedownwardly slantinf annular baille 75. Also any particles o mercurystriking the conical bafile 71 will also lose their force and ravitateback into the mercury cup 61. ttention i's directed to the fact,however, that annular baille 75 is spacedv from the conical baille 71 soas not to interfere with the escape of gas from chamber 66 into ventpipe 69.

Now, of course, it is to be understood that although I have illustratedand described in detail the preferred form of my invention, `theinvention is not to be thus limited, but only in so far as defined bythe scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a liquid seal construetion, a housing including aholder for a column of liquid, a tube extending into said column ofliquid, having one of its ends disposed in communication with a gas, acolumn of liquid in said holder and enveloping the other end of saidtubea conical bafile member mounted on said tube above said column ofliquid, said housing including a chamber disposed in communication withsaid liquid, a vent connected to said chamber adapted to permit gasblown through said column of liquid to escape into the at: mosphere, anda downwardly slanting baffle disposed below said vent in said chamberadapted to prevent particles of liquid from being blown out with the.gas into said vent.

2. In.' combination, in a. 'liquid seal construction, a housingincluding a holder for a column of liquid, a tube extending into saidcolumn of liquid, having one of its ends disposed in communication witha gas, a column of liquid in said holder and enveloping the other end ofsaid tube. an annular baffle `connected to said tube above said columnof liquid, said housing including a chamber disposed incommunicationwith said liquid, a vent connected t0 said cham-v beradapted to permit gas blown through said column of li uid to escape intothe atmosphere, and a aille disposed below said vent in said chamberadapted to prevent particles of liquid from being blown out with the gasinto said vent, said last mentioned baille comprising a tubular memberextending into said vent and having its end inside of said chamberprovided with a conical head.

3. In combination, a liquid seal construction, a housing including aholder for a column of liquid, a tube extending into said column ofliquid having one of its ends disposed in communication with a gas, acolumn of liquid in said holder and enveloping the other end of saidtube, an annular bale connected to said tube above said column ofliquid, said housing -including a chamber disposed in communication withsaid liquid, a ventconnected to said chamber adapted to ermit gas blownthrough said column of llquid to escape into the atmosphere, a batliedisposed below said vent in said chamber adapted to prevent particles ofliquid from being blown out with the gas into said vent, said balilecomprising a conical element mounted at and spaced from said vent, v andslanting batlie means co-nnected to said housing and extending into saidchamber between said conical baie and said `annular baille.

4. In a pressure regulator of the class described, a housing, adiaphragm in said housing, said housing having a gas chamber below saiddiaphragm, a valve in said chamber controlled by said diaphragm forcontrolling the flow of luid into said chamber, said housing havingconnected thereto a holder for a column of liquid, a tube en tendinginto said column ot' liquid 4having one of its ends disposed incommunication with said chamber, a column of liquid in said holder andenveloping the other end of said tube, said column of liquid being arranged so as to relieve said chamber of gas when the pressure exceeds apredetermined amount, a vent connected to said housing and disposed incommunication with said holder of liquid adapted to permit gas blownthrough the column of liquid to escape from the housing, and a baillemeans disposedbetween said vent and said column of liquid adapted toprevent particles of liquid from being blown out of the housing withthegas entering the vent, said baffie means including an annular slantingbafiie secured toy said tube above said column of liquid and slantingbattle plates connected to said housing below said vent.

5. In a sealing device for use in connection with a gas pressureregulator, a housing including a holder for a column of liquid, a tubeextending into said column of liquid having one of its ends arranged forcommunication with a chamber of the pressure regulator, a column ofliquid in said holder and enveloping the other end of said tube, saidcolumn of liquid being arranged so as to relieve said chamber of gaswhen the pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, a vent connected tosaid housing and disposed in communication with said holder of liquidadapted to permit gas blown through the column of liquid to escape fromthe housing, and batlie means disposed between said vent and said columnof liquid adapted to prevent particles of liquid from being blown out ofthe holder with the gas entering the vent, said balile means including atubular member extending into said vent and having its end inside of thehousing provided with a downwardly convex conical head adapted to beengaged by particles of liquid to prevent their entry into the vent.

ln testimony whereo have hereunto subscribed my name at Anderson,indiana, county of Madison.

JACGB C. GRG-BLE.

